Did you ever notice how a judge in a courtroom sits higher up and farther back from everyone else? That's no accident – the judge's bench is meant to convey a sense of his or her supremacy in this setting. It's designed to help command respect and maybe even fear.

But is that the feeling you want new patients to have when they enter your practice?

Like it or not, these things matter when it comes to making first impressions. It may not be the same as a judge's bench, but if your front desk person is greeting a new patient from behind the front desk, there's a literal and philosophical distance between them and the patient. It's a real barrier to genuine human interaction.

When I was delivering a program about office design, I used to emphasize this a lot. In fact, my idea for a front desk with a cutaway for easy access to the welcome area came to be known as the “Manji Gap” – a space for a team member to step through and greet a patient on equal terms.

This may seem like a minor thing, but believe me the implications are huge. When you leave your seat, stand up, come around and greet someone face to face, you are saying something important. You're demonstrating that you are prepared to walk away from all distractions and give this person your undivided attention. You are stepping away from that intimidating desk and meeting them on an equal level. You are showing tremendous respect.

You don't need to have a “Manji Gap” to do this, although it helps. All you really need to do is to walk around any barrier between you and the patient, and give the kind of personal attentive greeting you would want for yourself.


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